whirligig beetle

noun

: any of a family (Gyrinidae) of beetles with two pairs of eyes and clubbed antennae that live mostly on the surface of water where they swim swiftly about in circles

Examples of whirligig beetle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Consider whirligig beetles, which Eisner and Dr. Meinwald studied in the early 1970s. Kenneth Chang, BostonGlobe.com, 16 May 2018 Consider whirligig beetles, which Dr. Eisner and Dr. Meinwald studied in the early 1970s. Kenneth Chang, New York Times, 14 May 2018

Word History

First Known Use

1855, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of whirligig beetle was in 1855

Dictionary Entries Near whirligig beetle

Cite this Entry

“Whirligig beetle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whirligig%20beetle. Accessed 16 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

whirligig beetle

noun
: any of a family of beetles that live mostly on the surface of water where they swim about in circles

More from Merriam-Webster on whirligig beetle

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!